B.S. Vanderbilt University, Ph.D. Northwestern University. He studies the molecular biology of circadian rhythms. Dr. Lowrey joined the Rider faculty in 2005.

Education & Training
Research Associate, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Northwestern University, 2001-2005.
Lecturer, School of Continuing Studies, Northwestern University, 2001-2004.
Postdoctoral, Center for Circadian Biology and Medicine, Nortwestern University, 2000-2001.
Ph.D., Institute for Neuroscience, Northwestern University, 2000.
B.S. with honors, Biology and Psychology, Vanderbilt University, 1991.

Faculty advisor for:
Beta Beta Beta National Biology Honor Society (http://www.tri-beta.org/)
Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society (http://www.sigmaxi.org/)

Research Interests
My major research interest is to understand the molecular components of the mammalian circadian (24-hour biological clock).  The 24-hour cycles of light/dark, temperature, and other environmental phenomena impose an external temproal order to which life on earth must adapt.  Most organisms, including some prokaryotes and most eukaryotes, have evolved endogenous clock systems with which to synchronize their biochemical, physiological, and behavioral processes to the 24-hour cycles of the external world.

While specific molecular components of circadian clocks may differ among phylogenetically distant organisms, a general rule has emerged: at the cellular level, all circadian clocks consist of autoregulatory elements. Ultimately, through a better understanding of the molecular components of the mammalian circadiam system, it should be possible to elucidate the causes of, and develop treatments for, circadian-related disorders in humans, including seasonal affective disorder and advanced sleep phase syndrome.

Courses Taught
Life Science: Biopsychology Emphasis (BPY 107)
Cell and Molecular Biology (BIO 117 & 117L)
Neuroethology (BPY 375 & 375L)
Seminar in Biopsychology (BPY 415)
Advanced Cellular and Molecular Biology (BCH-330) 

Publications
Yoo SH, Ko CH, Lowrey PL, Burh ED, Song EJ, Chang S, Yoo OJ, Yamazaki S, Lee C and Takahashi JS. (2005) A noncanonical E-box enhancer drives mouse Period2 circadian oscillations in vivo. Proceedings National Academy Sciences 102:2608-2613.

Lowrey, PL and Takahashi, JS (2004) Mammalian circadian biology: elucidating genome-wide levels of temporal organization. Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics 5:407-441.

Yoo, SH, Yamazaki, S., Lowrey, PL, Shimomura, S, Ko, CH, Buhr, ED, Siepka, SM et al., (2004) PERIOD 2:LUCIFERASE real-time reporting of circadian dynamics reveals persistent circadian oscillations in mouse peripheral tissues. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101:5339-5346.

Lowrey, PL and Takahashi, JS (2000) Genetics of the mammalian circadian system: photic entrainment, circaidian pacemaker mechanisms and post-translational regulation. Annual Review of Genetics 34:533-562.

Lowrey, PL, Shimomura, K., Antoch, MP, Yamazaki, S., Zemenides, PD, Ralph, MR, Menaker, M. and Takahashi, JS (2000) Positional syntenic cloning and functional characterization of the mammalian circadian mutations tau. Science 288:483-491.

King, DP, Zhao, Y, Sangoram, AM, Wilsbacher, LD, Tanaka, M, Antoch, MP, Steeves, TDL, Vitaterna, MH, Kornhauser, JM, Lowrey, PL, Turek, FW, and Takahashi, JS (1997) positional cloning of the mouse circadian Clock gene. Cell 89:641-653.

Vitaterna, MH, King, DP, Chang, AM, Kornhauser, JM, Lowrey, PL et al., (1994) Mutagenesis and mapping of a mouse gene, Clock, essential for circadian behavior. Science 264:719-725